Neal Aronowitz’s new Whorl Table is concrete with a twist

As the Whorl Turns

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We’re so lucky here, because more and more designers and makers around the world—many freshly launching their new studios, collaborations, and designs—are reaching out to us to share their amazing work. While we love to travel and go on the hunt for extraordinary pieces, increasingly we find that we need look no farther than our inboxes for the next addition to our curated Shop.

One such email that recently caught my eye came from Pacific North-Westerner Neal Aronowitz. While Neal has run a successful tile, stone, and interiors business for years, he recently unveiled his new Whorl Table during Portland Design Week. What began as an exploration into the possibilities of concrete canvas—a high-tech, eco-friendly, cement-impregnated textile used in disaster shelters and drainage ditches—resulted in an elegant piece of furniture that evokes both Carlo Mollino and Ron Arad.

Here’s what Neal had to say about his new project:

“I’ve been making furniture on commission for private clients for years, but this is my first public foray into more experimental furniture. It came out of a decision I made earlier this year to begin producing the riskier pieces that have filled my sketchbooks but have never been realized.”

He added:

“I heard about concrete canvas a couple of years ago and was inspired by the challenge of using this material to express a light, fluid, lyrical form in contrast with the dense, hard, and heavy characteristics we associate with concrete. The idea for Whorl Table was to make a hand-crafted piece that has presence as both sculpture and functional furniture.”

Here’s to Neal and risk taking! Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

*All images courtesy Neal Aronowitz

Text by

Wava Carpenter

After studying Design History, Wava has worn many hats in support of design culture: teaching design studies, curating exhibitions, overseeing commissions, organizing talks, writing articles—all of which informs her work now as Pamono’s Editor-in-Chief.